Our Heritage: The Story of Shovlin Mattress Factory

At Shovlin Mattress Factory, we treat each customer as if they were guests in our home. Like any other family, we have our unique quirks—these reflect both in the way we run our business as well as how we go above and beyond for our customers.

There are a couple things we do differently from the name brand competition, and we’d like to think that our heritage shines through in our decisions to do so.

Whether you’ve been a longtime friend of ours or you’re hearing of us for the first time today, here’s our story. We hope it touches both the top-notch quality of our products as well as our commitment to customer service.

Our Story and Our Business’ Roots

These days, Shovlin Mattress Factory is a well-known staple in and around Union County, New Jersey. Ron Shovlin and Kara Shovlin are a husband and wife duo who own and run the business—a local factory-direct manufacturer and retailer of mattresses and sleep accessories based in Fanwood, New Jersey.

However, the Shovlin Mattress Factory we know and love now has a rich history spanning several decades. Formerly known as “The Mattress Factory,” the business was founded by Brian Strell in 1972. Marlene and Richard Shovlin, Ron’s mother and father, eventually bought the business as their own in 1987.

Even so, the Shovlins had been a part of The Mattress Factory long before taking ownership—prior to becoming CEO, Marlene had been running the office. Meanwhile, a teenage Ron worked there part-time while attending high school, helping out by pushing brooms, making deliveries, and unloading trucks.

The business was originally based in Garwood, New Jersey, but moved to Fanwood around 2007. Not long after, its name was changed from The Mattress Factory to the eponymous Shovlin Mattress Factory. The location and name change didn’t come without a cost, however—after moving and rebranding, people in the area who had been familiar with the factory-direct feared that they had gone out of business or changed ownership.

Soon enough, longtime patrons realized that Shovlin Mattress Factory still existed (and, in fact, was better than ever). Customers began flocking from a wider area than before, with some coming from as far as Pennsylvania, Delaware, upstate New York, and even some shipment requests to other countries!

After the move to Fanwood, Ron became the sole owner of the flagship store where the majority of sales were occurring. Eventually, Kara stepped in to help manage marketing and finances.

Today, the Shovlins continue to set the bar high for top-quality, American-made mattresses that promise a great night’s sleep.



How We’re Giving Back to Our Community

Snapping back to the present day, we’ve given and continue to give back to our surrounding community. Being Westfield natives and a family-run business, we strive to maintain a great reputation in the place we grew up in and continue to raise our family in.

Shovlin Mattress Factory has given back to the greater Westfield area by supporting youth sports, community programs, hosting tours for Girl Scouts and Boy Scout Troops, and helping with food drives for the surrounding communities we serve. In addition, we’re New Jersey’s largest provider of mattresses to local fire departments.

We’ll continue to offer a helping hand to those in need in our future endeavors, such as by supplying products to hospitality providers such as hotels, motels, and local B&Bs. Stay tuned to see what we’ve got in store!

Come Say Hi (From a Distance)!

At Shovlin Mattress Factory, the difference in quality, reputation, family feel, customer service, and customization options draw customers to our store from all over the Tri-state and beyond.

Right now, it’s more important than ever to get a great night’s sleep to boost your health and wellness. Come say hi (from a distance) and we’ll help you schedule a no-contact, private appointment so you can find the mattress of your dreams and more. We’re also able to arrange contact-less deliveries straight from our store to your door!

Stay safe, be well, and we hope to see you soon!

Stop sleeping around… Sleep on a Shovlin!